Grace's masterpiece for Earth Day. Thanks to Starbucks, I had a free Earth Day coffee because I brought in my travel mug.
I guess I should thank my Cake Boss for this groovy cake. Oh wait. Grace and T.J don't like when I use that word. Groovy. Groovy. Groovy. Groovy. Groovy. Groovy. Nee-ner-nee-ner- nee-ner!
Our dogs love a good tug of war after retrieving sticks from the water. Growling and gripping the sticks with their white teeth, they dance back and forth in the wet sand. I love to see them play.
There are plenty of "tug of wars" with Grace and T.J., who are growing up with feelings, opinions and new ideas of their own. Just as Biff and I do our best to teach and expose our kids to the world, our kids do their teenage "job" by challenging our opinions, ideas and boundaries...within reason. Some days there are more challenges than others!
This week was a very low key vacation. We enjoyed our time away. We were home in time for lacrosse practices and games. We had some time to relax at home. We were not off by plane to a faraway paradise, Disneyworld or foreign country.
We are blessed with many gifts. Our children are blessed to live a wonderful life with an abundance of love, family, friends and new experiences.
As anyone living day to day with teenagers knows, it is essential to have a sense of humor. To live with people who doubt my sense of style, facial expressions, timing,old school words and worries, choice of dogs, elocution, work and prioities...a sense of humor is not optional!
Ironic. While discussing vacations of "everyone else," each child had plenty to say. The following quotes really came out of the mouths of our babes..one from each child...please remember these words before reading:
1. Teenagers.
2. Irony.
3. Drama
4. Violin.
Quote #1. "Mom...do you think we could go to Australia? I really want to go. Seriously, we've never been anywhere. Do you think it's possible? Really...please tell me because I'd like to think I could have some decent childhood memories "
2. How come everyone else can go to Disneyworld, like, every year... and I've NEVER been even once? Nevermind now...it's too late...it doesn't even matter now. My childhood's practically over anyway! I'll just have to take MY kids!"
For real. Really. Welcome to my world!
Yup. It's true. the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. I held out. I gave in. I sold out. I put up. I got down. I was fed up.....that's how it happened.
Today's beautiful weather of blue skies and sunshine started the whole thing. I was out and about early this morning to help a friend. Windows down, sunroof open, music on, Daisy in the back with the wind blowing her lovely golden furry locks...
Then....I noticed my goldilocks. NOT! Just one glance...that's all it took. One glance in the rearview mirror...and I knew I was a "Glamour Don't." My hair....although holding it's own in the golden department....desperately needed some lovin'...and quick!
It was time to pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. But how? What's a girl to do? Who could I turn to?
I know. I know. I said I wouldn't go back. I was desperate though. I had to. HAD TO. No question.
I did it. I acted like a grown up. I stopped in to see if my ex-hairdresser would take me in ....in off the street...for a cut and squeeze in a touch of color to hide my grays. I admit it. I hit bottom. I reached an all-time low ...I know. But come on man...I needed something...anything. I was in rough shape. I brought cash baby. This was serious stuff. I had to make it work.
My hairdresser was happy to see me. I didn't have to grovel or beg. I just had to sit in the chair...and look at myself in the mirror to see what I had become. That was punishment enough!
Do I have to beg? Well, maybe.
Grace was inspired...all day she hounded me to buy the ingredients for her cake idea. I did what my cake boss wanted. This is her tie dye cake!
Cake Boss. Grace had the TV Show on today. Buddy from Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, N.J. is. a riot. Cakes...the whole show is about the creativity and challenges of making cakes to order. Grace loves the show! She has us all hooked. It's an Italian family busiiness. We love the family and we love their accents even more.
The show was on when Biff came home....he got hooked.
T.J. walked in after lacrosse practice...he got hooked. We all had a fun time....AND we found a show that we all like!
Their creativity inspired us. Grace made a cake this afternoon. and I got out some pain and canvas for fun. I painted some florals and Grace painted a daisy. Family fun
....like the old days!
Why? Me? Am I paranoid? I'm just concerned that I'll never, never, stop itching and scratching and rubbing and OH! Did I give it to you too? Grace is concerned that I touched the steering wheel in the car. T.J. is worried about the outbreak of poison ivy in the family. Cooking. Washing. Enough already! Or is it? Maybe I am paranoid. Stop looking at me. Are you looking at me?
My kids are afraid to touch me. I'm terrified I'll pollute Biff with Poison Ivy. Could it be possible for me to give it to the dogs? Or cats? What if they all gang up on me? We know what fear and paranoia can do to people! What if this itching never stops? This is payback for making light of other people's (Biff) poison ivy affliction. That'll do it.
Poking along the quieti roads on the cape gave us all the thrill of what's to come in just a few short months....Cape Cod summer. We stopped to see the sailing club....boats are covered, buoys are hanging, the sailing shack is locked up tight. I can imagine all of what's to come
Quiet roads will be filled with summer people. The hustle and bustle have begun. Landscapers, painters, builder's, small shops are doing prep work for summer. What's not to love?
And again and again and again! Biff's good friend Mike owned a Ford dealership.Mom talked to Mike for advice on her purchase. After benefitting from all of his information, mom asked if he had a little Ford Escort so she could buy the car from him....letting him benefit on her purchase. Mike checked into his stock on the car, called her back. He shared all of the details and finally the color, "Calypso Green!" Hearing her disappointment with the less than regal color, Mike burst enthusiastically, "Grace, come on...it'll keep you young!"
We've all had some good "Calypso Green" laughs over the years.
Lots of work is being done at this time of year to get boats ready to float, houses perked up, stores and restaurants re-opened. I love watching it all ...springing into action and preparing for summer!
Sell the hand made monkey door stops. Necklaces. Bracelets. The sales crew is out on the roadtaking pre- season orders. The business is growing! The sales force is recommending pre-season orders and customers orders are encouraging! The kids have a great meet and greet routine ...customers are impressed! Beautiful to see these kids cold calling with confidence!
This may not be down south and we may not be barefoot, in bathing suits but we're at the beach soaking up the delicious sunshine.
We had dreams. We had hoped for a vacation with a tad more southern exposure and warmer weather .... but we're here! Massachusetts. Spring vacation...visiting friends.
Biff headed home earlier so. T.J., Grace and I drove to the beach to take a good walk on one of our favorite beaches . Spectacular sunshine and sweeping white swirls across the sky, breakers crashing, sea glass, wishing stones, myriad dogs, families, friends all out walking fthe long stretch of beach.
We love visiting our friends! Its a gift to have time with good people and a change of scenery. This scenery is familiar to us. Each time we come back to the beach where we once walked our jogstroller babies, it takes me back in time.
We started our family here. We lived here. We found our way. We learned here how to be our best for our children. Here we learned to do what's best for our family. We created balance. We enjoyed and the power of gratefulness. We found that our ups and downs teach us lessons and give us strength. Priorities were defined and refined as we grew into ourselves. We lived each day to the fullest and as best we could. We found that we happiest when we keep it simple. Our kids are learning that here as well.
Keeping it simple is easiest at the beach. Life's. a beach!
